The 1926
Retz Funeral Home at 315 E. Sixth (formerly Opp & Conrad)
is a contributing property of the Helena Historic District,
listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The listing
reads:
"Opp
and Conrad Funeral Home (315 E. Sixth Ave.)
Jacob Opp and his sons Lawrence and Arthur worked for the longtime
undertaking firm of Herrmann and Company before opening their
own mortuary with partner Ralph J. Conrad in 1926.
Both
Lawrence and Arthur Opp were graduates of Chicagos prestigious
Worsham College of Mortuary Science. Unlike the Opps, Conrad
was new to the funeral business; he previously managed the Bozeman
telephone exchange.
The
partners hired builder George Jacoby to construct this facility
specifically as a funeral home. Its gently pitched roof, exposed
rafter tails, and mixed materials of brick and stucco harmonize
with the urban landscape. Concrete-capped brick piers flanking
a sleek panel of glass blocks, centered beneath the roofs
peak, emphasize a horizontal orientation popular at the time.
Finely crafted leaded, beveled, and stained glass windows enhance
the façade while handsome wood finishing completes the
interior.
The state-of-the-art facility was Helenas first undertaking
firm to use limousine-type vehicles, thus eliminating antiquated
conveyances traditionally associated with funerals. Opp and
Conrad operated until 1954 when the name changed to the Retz
Funeral Home."
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